The beginning

The sacred experience of the marathon gives me goose bumps every time I conjure it in the memory. This past Sunday, April 11, 2010 - I had the joyous opportunity to run another one. This time in my hometown! For the first time in my marathon running life, my parents got to see me out there on the course. I didn’t know it would feel so damn good to see my Dad in his bright yellow shirt smiling as he saw me coming up the mile 16 hill. I certainly didn’t comprehend the impact of seeing my mom- 5 days out of another chemo treatment - standing there, ready to give me a hug. My mom is the reason I started this distance running tour in the first place. That little moment beat any other moment in running. It kicked crossing the finish line in Central Park with a torn ligament in my knee, the amazement of realizing I would be running Boston, the intensity of heartbreak hill, even crossing the line in my first experience @ White Rock - something I never, ever thought could be touched. My mom’s arms around me right there @ the corner of Hanley & Forsyth in the bright sunshine and too warm temperatures changed my focus. I finished the marathon helping out my Conrad, who gutted it out despite tunnel vision, heart palpitations, seeing stars.... And in those last 10 miles I came to understand just how much I love this sport. The struggles, well they’re what make us better, stronger, more fulfilled human beings. Consistently throwing yourself out there - knowing that failure is a very real option - confronting it all, your past success, your current level of fitness, the reality of getting older. It’d be so much easier to sit on the couch and remember those times you ran a 35 min 10K, but yet you choose the experience. You struggle; you cross the finish line holding your best friend in the wide world’s hand - and this incredible peace washes over you. It was hard to watch my sweet one struggle so much, but I was thankful my body held up and allowed me to be his support crew. Conrad and I finished the race in very different places mentally, physically and spiritually. We traveled it together, and in the end we reached the same conclusion - YES it’s all worth it. My long and winding explanation here: at mile 22 when I was running backwards, sideways, and all around, patting people on the back, trying to say words of encouragement when it looked needed, striking up conversations with random strangers and making sure Conrad was ok - I realized - YEP, I’m ready for the next leap in endurance running. 50 miles here I come!